The lower commons transformed from a cafeteria into a rowdy rock stage on Monday night. Ten student-led performances took the stage, but only one came out on top. Swine Stock is a yearly Swine Week event, where student performers compete in a battle of the bands to see who can raise the most money for charity.
After racking up the most donations, senior Nicolas Swartz, better known by his stage name, Prexy, took the win for this year’s Swine Stock. Swartz has participated in Swine Stock three times out of his four years of high school, but this year was his first win. His set this year included “So Good” and “Insomniac” by Bunii, and an original song, “Lost in the Static.”
“I chose my original because it just came out three weeks ago, and I thought it would be fun to play live,” Swartz said. “I’m very inspired by Bunii right now; I love him.”
Despite coming in first, Swartz did not expect to raise more donations than the rest of the bands. He was pleasantly surprised to have the most popular set at Swine Stock. As the winner, Swartz will perform at the final Swine Week assembly on Friday, representing Memorial’s musical talent.
“I was very surprised that I [won] just because I only had a couple of my friends there, but I’m happy,” Swartz said.
Swartz’s set produced a unique sound unlike any other in Swine Stock. He describes his genre as pop-punk with math rock and Midwest emo influences. Both the audience and competing bands appreciated his style onstage.
“Anybody can listen to [my music,]” Swartz said. “It’s kind of a mix between pop and punk, so anyone can like it.”
Chloe Buckley, a member of another fan-favorite Swine Stock band, Panoramic, was present throughout the night and said she enjoyed Swartz’s set.
“I think Nick did a great job; it was really fun hearing him play,” Buckley said.
Swartz’s performance contributed to the community aspect of Swine Stock because it appealed to a wide audience of listeners. While several of the other performances were more defined to specific genres, Swartz’s set instead encapsulated several different types of music. Swartz’s style was reflective of the importance of community to Memorial’s student body, especially during Swine Week.
“I think [Swine Stock] is a really special thing that we have,” Buckley said. “It creates an environment that allows … [people who] love art and music to get more engaged with our charity week.”
After taking the stage one last time, Swartz connected Swine Stock’s community through his interactive set. Swartz will perform at the final Swine Week assembly on Friday during the final assembly, representing Memorial’s musical community with his unique sound.
Contact Emma Lynch at [email protected]
